Hudson County Commissioners Bill O’Dea (D-2) and Jerry Walker (D-3) are demanding that the State of New Jersey restore the $125 million that was diverted from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) in this budget.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“It’s incredibly disappointing to see the State of New Jersey raid its own AHTF, especially at this moment in time when the housing affordability crisis in our state — and especially here in Jersey City — has never been worse,” the commissioner said in a joint statement.
“Without this funding many smaller affordable housing projects throughout the state won’t work, and thousands of lower income families will be left out in the cold with few other housing options available. We’re demanding that our State Legislature work immediately to restore this funding and support these affordable housing projects.”
The two county electeds are demanding that state legislators work immediately to restore the funding, without which many critical affordable housing projects in Jersey City are now at risk, joining the call for housing advocates from across the state.
The reason being is that the fund is primarily used to help nonprofits and small developers build affordable housing projects with 25 or fewer units, filling a critical gap in the housing market and helping people afford to live near jobs, education and important services.
O’Dea, a candidate for Jersey City mayor, released his citywide housing plan in April that includes partnering with nonprofits and faith-based organizations to build affordable housing developments using funding from the AHTF.
“Seeing the Affordable Housing Trust Fund get cut in the state budget was shocking, because everyone in New Jersey knows how important it is to build more affordable housing and it’s something the state needs to make a top priority. We are going to work alongside our state legislators to restore this funding,” O’Dea and Walker added.
Walker, a Democratic nominee for state Assembly in the 31st Legislative District, also declared that “if it’s not done by the time I get to Trenton in January then this will be at the top of my agenda as a member of the State Assembly.”
Both Commissioner O’Dea and Commissioner Walker have deep experience working on development projects that depend on the AHTF.
Walker runs the local nonprofit Team Walker, which has been actively working to build affordable housing in Jersey City utilizing the AHTF, while O’Dea is the executive director of the Elizabeth Development Company, which assists nonprofits in applying for the AHTF.
